<![CDATA[Enduring the stress of finals]]>
Bethany Emola
Guest Columnist
   Do you remember what the last two weeks on campus looked like before heading home for the holidays? While the rest of the world was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, hallways turn into the set of a zombie apocalypse movie.
   Students need no encouragement to play their part.
   Hair becomes less brushed, clothes may or may not have been washed, dark
circles are under everyone’s eyes and students trudge to their classrooms.
   Why is it that when students are so close to the finish line of the semester, they get less
sleep and waste more time?
   The article “Why Are Students So Unhealthy during Finals Week?” by Campus Clarity points out that the stress students face actually impacts their ability to make healthy and
beneficial decisions.
   The stress robs students of the ability to think about long term consequences and invites them to only focus on instant gratifications.
   Which is why we end up wasting the time we should be using to study on shopping,
partying, or binge watching Netflix or YouTube.
   Students know that during this time they should focus on school, but that is exactly why spending a couple hours doing something fun is so intriguing.
   Once you’ve given into something fun or relaxing, finding the motivation to get some real studying done is next to impossible.
   Students’ ability to take basic care of themselves is also altered in this time
of stress.
   Proper nutritious meals are hard to find.
   When dorms are filled with quick and easy things like ramen and potato chips, students will eat whatever fills their belly without thinking about what will fuel their brain.
   While students are in this state of malnutrition and sleep deprivation and the weight of
stress is weighing down on them, they can become especially moody. While this is no
excuse for rude behavior it may be helpful for roommates, friends, and family to
understand that their bad mood is not meant to be directed at them.
   For example, when I become stressed, I tend to be withdrawn and quiet. I crave silence and alone time, while my mother wants to talk about any and everything.
   She ends up feeling sad and rejected when I am just trying to mind my own business and get some studying done.
   During finals we need to be mindful of how we spend our time, but also of how we treat those around us.
   Students need to encourage each other to study and wait until we pass finals to throw a little celebration.
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